Interlocking joint



WNOV; 12, 1929.

W. F. HOFFORD INTERLOCKING JOINT Flled Sept 8 1925 ,1ny invention in a Figure 2 40 tion,

Patented Nov. 12, 1929 WILLIAM r; VHOFFOVRD, OF N AR-M01200, INDIANA,

INTERLQCKING JOINT Application filed September 8 1925. Serial No. 55,0 4. p

The object of my present invention, broad- .ly speaking, is to provide an attachment for vehicles, particularly for automobiles, which attachment is to be employed. in connection with the running boards of automobiles, said attachment being simple in character, strong and durable in construction, easily operated and controlled, adapted to provide a variety "of utilities, and which can be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low price.

More particularly stated, my object is the provision of an attachment for the runnmg boards of automobiles, by which one is enabled to provide a luggage'carrier, an ele-. vated table, a single-bed, a double-bed, and

various other instrumentalities which imay suggest themselves in 'the course of the following specification. p

one way of carrying out the principles of practical and mechanical manner is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- 1 Figure 1 shows my construction in elevation, as arranged to provide :a double-bed.

shows the same as arranged to prO- vide a table. Figure 3 is the same as arranged simply for a luggagebarrier or'side guard. Figure lr'shows the same as arranged when not in use or out of operative position. Fig.

0 ure 5 is a perspective view of the negative head member of oneof the interlocking devices.

Figure 6 is a perspective viewvoi the positive I which islformedia main slot 12, and a branch,

head member of one of the interlocking devices. Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the supporting clips. And Figure 8 is an end View of. one of the hangers.

Similar'indices' denote like parts throughout the several views.

' In order that the construction, the operavention may be more. fully understood and I appreciated, scriptionthereof.

.In the drawlngs letter A denotes the run- 7 ning-board of an automobile, and B denotes and letter D denotes the groundline.

;.matically returned I will now take up a detailed de- .the usual fenders, while C denotes ajpneu fanatic tire which surround the usualground wheels by-which the automobile issupported, Said parts are shown merely to make clear the positions of theseveral parts of my invention with relation thereto. v v

Secured to the underside of the runningboard A, are the twobearings or hangers, 1

and 2. Each of said hangers is secured by a 5 pairof bolts 8 and 4'. Slidably and rotatively mounted in said hangers is the relatively heavy rod 5. A set-screw 6 operates the hanger'l and it is adapted to engage the .rod 5 when it is desiredt-o retain saidlrod at a certainpoint.

"Surrounding that portion of the rod '5 which projects under, theautomobile from the bearing 2, is the helical spring? .The ,o uterend of the spring 7 engages the bearing while its inner end is secured to the innerf Lmost end ofthe rod5, as by the key 8.' Said spring is normally expanded, permitting the rod 5fto be moved outward endwise against the resiliencyof said spring andjto be autois released.

.1 to normal pos tion when 1t i The negative member ofthe head om v prises aftu'bular portion 9 in which-,fit s the outer end of therod' 5, where it. is, secured by the key 10. Integral with the outer end or the member is the hat portion 11 through slot connected therewith fat an. angle.

' end of'the sl ot12,;and the lugs lf) and l6are and the several advantages of my in-.

located on each side of the other end of said slot. In alinement with the part 11 and cX- tending down from the part9, is an car 17,

through whichisan aperture 18 which is adaptedfto receive a bolt.

The pos tive member of the head or interlocking joint comprises a plate portion 19, from the contact face of which project three bars: the center bar 20, and the two side bars 21 and 22, which bars are arranged parallel with each other. There is an aperture 23 formed through the plate 19 and the center of the bar 20, all as shown in .r'ig. 6. Also a hook portion 24 is formed at right-angles to the bar 22 and across theend of the part 19.

At the opposite end of the plate 19 from said bars there is a U-shaped groove or cavity 25, formed in the material extending from the face of said plate and integral therewith, which cavity is almost opposite to andspaced from the bar 20, asshown.

Integral with and forming a continuation of the plate 19 is the T-bar standard126 Formed integral withthe upper, outer, end portion of the standard 26, on the stem portion thereof, is a double rib 27 extending out on both sides of the stemof'said standard;

. and a similar rib 28 is formed near the juncture of the standard with said plate 19.. 1

" Numeral 29 denotes a bolt which is inserted through the aperture 23 and the slot 12, to secure the positive and the negativemembers together, the arrangement of said parts being such that they standard may (Without its removal) be adjusted at'various angles in rela tion to the rod 5, andi'by means of said bolt '29 secured at such adjusted position.

, When secured to the underside of the running-board the device may .be folded, as in F ig24, where it may be carried when not in use by tightening the bolts 29 and 6, andalso as a further precaution a boltmay be'secured inthe aperture 18 to allow the standard to rest on the head of such bolt which is the aperture 18.

Desiring now to use the device as a luggage carrier. then the bolt 'isremovedfrom the aperture 18, andthe nut on the bolt 29"is then loosened, after which the standard 26 maybe turned to the position in which itis shown in Fig. 3 where the bolt 29 will be in the lower end of the slot 12, and the lugs 15 and 16 will be. in the channels formed between the bars 20, 21 and 22, at the same time the lug 14 will be in the cavity 25, thereby securely locking the standard in vertical position,'andthen by tightening the bolt 29it will beretained'in that position; Or the standard may be similarly secure'din hori- 'zontal position, as in Fig. 1, in which event the-lugs l5and 16' will be in engagement with the outer edge of the bar .21, while the lug 14 will be in engagement with the outer edge of the bar 22, and also with the hook 24.

By reason of the rod '5 being slidably mounted it is evident that the space capacity 2 of the running-board A may be increased, that 1s luggage which is wider than the running-v board may be placed thereon by pulling outwardly on the standard 26, against the resiliency of the spring7, and then when the tions with relation to each V desired an intermediate fiat bar 32.

In most instances the devices described are provided in duplicate on each side of an automobile, or the devices'normally employed on one side of the automobile are combined With the like deviceson theother'side of the automobile, this being the case as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. To accomplish this two clips, such as shown in Fig. 7 are employed. Each of theclips consists of a thimble portion 33, which is integral with the projection 34 which has a T'-'shaped channel- 35 therethrough, which channel is adapted to receive the rib 27 or 28, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. I The clips may be secured in 'connection with the ribs 27 and 28 by inserting a cotter pin or key in the aperture 36.

Two of said clips .are to be connected with each standard, asshown, and the rod 5 of the second device is then run into the parts 33 of the clips, after which the standards of the second devices may be operated in the same manner as first mentioned, thereby enabling one to provide the double-bed arrangement shown in Fig. 1, or the elevated arrangement shown in Fig. 2. 'It is also evident that asthe standards 26 are pivoted on their bolts 29 the standards and the parts carried thereby maybe folded or turned in under the runningboard A, when the device is not in use.

WVhen constructed as above set forth it is-' apparent that I am enabled to provide the various arrangements and accomplish the several ob ects herein set'forth, with means whereby the same may be attained in a minimum of time and trouble.

'VVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is v In combination with a horizontal rod and a movable standard; an interlocking .joint for'hinging said rod and standard together whereby they may be locked in various 'posi other, a plate formed integral with the standard, a center bar and two sidebars all arranged parallel with each other and projecting from the con-*- tact face of said; plate with the center bar having an aperture formedtherethrough and v then continuing through said plate, a hook extending out at right-angles from said plate and from one said i ars, there being if U-shaped cavity carried by said plate and located opposite to and opening toward said center bar but spaced therefrom,.a fiat member detachably connected to said rod and having a main slotand a branch slot connected With the main slot at an acute angle with both slots formed through said flat member a series of three lugs projecting from the contact face of said flat member, said lugs being square in cross section and located near said slots, and a bolt detachably inserted through said aperture in said center bar and through said slots in order to rigidly connect said plate and fiat member in Various positions with relation to each other.

WVILLIAM F. HOFFORD. 

